Ryhme of Another Summer
by Queen Keri
Summary: He gets out of control for my sake. He forgets himself, just like this time. "Hey Kuroko, let's just kill her. Can I kill her? I'll do it."
1. talking to humans

**talking to humans;**

* * *

_take a look at my body_

_look at my hands_

_there's so much here_

_that I don't understand  
_

* * *

_I first met him when I was a century old—human age: ten. It was during my hundredth summer when I first caught a glimpse of him, the sun scorching down the pavement and drying little puddles on the road. It was quite a peculiar way to meet, really. He saw me sitting on that tree and he talked to me. He noticed me—when no one did. Since then, the two of us spent many more seasons together—without even knowing who he really was._

_"Uh, so what's it like there outside with the living?" I often asked him, but he would just smile and tell me that it was nothing special._

_"Talking to you like this is way more interesting that dealing with the living." He said sincerely, face absent of emotions._

_I remember myself feeling special with those words and I was extremely happy._

_What I felt for him when we were still young, I probably wouldn't realize it until I'm an adult._

* * *

_Talking to people isn't as deranged as it may sound_, his mother often said to him_. They could remember the way they were touched, they recollect feelings that could even be non-existent. Sometimes, they can see us too._

No, not really.

As a child, Aomine refused to believe in any of this. Conversing with humans doesn't exactly benefit him and besides, Aomine was an obnoxious kid with a huge ego. He's just not the right person for that kind of task so he wouldn't go, try, upset his self and even be acquainted with them.

After all, humans killed his mother.

Those humans that his mother loved the most.

"Uhm… excuse me."

Standing under the lone tree he was sitting at was a boy around his age, looking up at him with impossibly bright and curious eyes. Aomine could see himself reflect on them, the summer skies behind his back. He would have ignored him and continued to gaze at the setting sun if the said kid didn't have a pair of black little wings fluttering softly on his back, like a _tenshi._

_He can see me so I guess he's not a human._

"E-excuse me." The said kid called timidly again, jumping lightly now as if he's trying to reach Aomine who's currently sitting on a branch, suspended five meters above the ground.

Still, even if he knew that the boy wasn't a human, he didn't bother to answer him. Soon, the said kid gave up and left. Aomine couldn't sleep well for the rest of the day. The next morning he came back and Aomine wasn't so pleased with this happening. Why was he bothering him?

"Hello?" The other boy talked with him again, this time wearing a different set of clothes, which was unlikely for their kind because creatures like Aomine never changed clothes; there was never a need for it.

_Quite human-like_, Aomine thought. _Ugh, disgusting. _He mentally added.

"Are you nt a fan of talking?" The kid asked him blankly. "Can't we be friends from now on?" Aomine didn't answer, and he did the same for the next thirty minutes but that didn't stop the boy from staying. Even though Aomine looked like he didn't care— which was partly a lie by the way since Aomine couldn't help but see him from the top, ther boy just continued to stand there, as though he was waiting for Aomine to do something. The kid finally left after standing there for almost thirty minutes, not before he said goodbye to Aomine. This cycle continued for a week, with the kid always approaching him on the tree and with Aomine not paying attention.

As fall approached, the leaves of Aomine's tree began to wither.

The next day, it started raining hard and there was no sign that the sky would clear. There was no sign of that kid either— but it's not like Aomine was expecting him to come. Well perhaps he was, but he's not going say that out loud.

"_He's late today…"_ Aomine thought, staring at the road the kid usually takes. _"Well it's raining, and probably, he got tired already because I am not talking to him. Heck, I didn't even look directly at him. It's been a week and I still don't know what his face is like. Only his blue hair. "_

"_Friends, huh?"_ he muttered.

The kid didn't show up for the rest of the day.

That night, he felt lonely.

_Even though I want to put distance between others and myself, I still can't stand being alone— _that what ran on his head until his eyelids became heavy with drowsiness.

He was still asleep on the tree branch when he heard someone's voice— loud enough to wake him up.

"Are you sleeping?"

Aomine frowned, got up, scratched his head and crossed his arms, looking down at the said boy with a perfect display of nuisance written all over his face. And just then he noticed that it wasn't even morning anymore. Actually it was almost night time. "I _WAS._ Why are you still here, you wimp."

The kid with ligth azure hair and pair of round eyes, Aomine finally noticed, took a step backward because of his angered inquiry. "Oh. SO YOU ARE ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF TALKING." The boy said plainly, eyes big as saucers as he pointed an accusing finger to Aomine—face still expressionless.

Exasperated, Aomine sighed. "Well, just what the hell do you want? It's not safe for a small kid like you to be in here alone. It's getting dark already. See?" He pointed at the setting sun and almost felt shivers ran down his spine when a rush of cold wind blew past them, almost whispering and tickling their young ears— it was a warning. He should climb up higher tonight.

"I know. But you're a kid too." The boy replied, totally unaffected by the said wind, it was as if he couldn't feel it at all. Aomine scowled at this. "I just thought you're weird. Every day you're just sitting in that tree. And you won't talk. I thought you can't see me at all." He replied normally, and tilted his head when he asked: "Why do you even have a tail?"

Aomine almost snickered at the question; of course he has a tail, he's a child of a demon cat. Well, of course he's not just any ordinary cat but he wasn't exactly a demon either; even Aomine admits that his species' name was misleading. He was raised by a Kyuubi though (nine tailed fox). It was vastly a common knowledge among the likes of him, why couldn't this kid tell? With the blue glow his tail emits, who wouldn't notice?

_He's probably new around this place._

Aomine thinks, and thinks again.

"What's your name?" His voice was rather proud even though he had decided to finally talk to this kid and actually show him around the place.

"Huh?" The kid tilted his head, as if that would help him analyze the question that had been asked. He kind of looked like an owl, Aomine thought.

_Ah… that makes sense since he have wings. _

"Name." He repeated, not really impatient and just curious. It's been awhile since someone had actually approached him without getting intimidated. Aside from being respected and treated like a royalty, being raised by a Kyuubi, certainly does have downsides too, everyone has this perception that he's patience was as short as his nails and that when bored, he wouldn't spare your life and eat you mercilessly. Aomine thought it's rather ridiculous. Sure, he does have a hot temper but it's too much to say that he'll eat them. That's gross. He's _a gourmet_ and wouldn't eat anything that is raw.

"Do you tend to NOT answer when you're asked a question?"

"Oh…" The kid was bewildered. If you'd ask Aomine, he actually looked glad.

He shyly bowed his head and muttered "K-Kuroko".

Thanks to Aomine's sharp hearing, he was able to catch what Kuroko had murmured. "It's a _pleasure_ for you to meet me then, Kuroko."

"Uh… I guess?" Aomine glared at him. Apparently, Kuroko's response wasn't good enough. He merely sighed.

"You can climb up here." Aomine then suggested, referring to the free space beside him. The branch was rather small but it was just big enough for him and Kuroko to share. Of course, Aomine would be uncomfortable; having someone else to hang around his favorite place was not yet on his wish list. _But then… _The young cat looked at Kuroko's direction and almost glared when a creepy pair of floating eyeballs sprouted from the ground and was almost close in dragging Kuroko's feet; it probably had the intention of eating him.

Well, Kuroko's wings did look delicious after all.

The boy was completely naïve of the said creature and was just gazing at Aomine, hesitating whether he should climb or not because he's not good with anything that involves the use of strength.

"He's an acquaintance." Aomine's voice was warm but it sent Kuroko shivers, and wondered who he was talking to.

"What are yo—"

"I said he's my acquaintance! Touch him and I'll surely make you regret it! " Aomine's tail glowed madly as he growled at the said pair of eyeballs. It seemed like Kuroko was still oblivious to it and thought that he made Aomine angry yet again.

"Uh okay. I got it. Please don't get mad, I won't touch your tree." He withdrew his hand that's about to touch the said tree and took a step back, making it easier for the creepy eyeballs to get a trace of his feet. Hands suddenly sprouted from it sides.

But in response, Aomine yelled at him with a single-minded panic on his voice. "Oi! Are you stupid? I said climb up here, you wimp! Do you want to die?" Aomine jumped and yanked Kuroko away from the ground. But just when he was in the process of doing so, Kuroko got a bit scared so he took another step back and tripped eventually. The creepy eyeballs quickly took the chance to grab a hold of Kuroko but the moment he touched the boy's skin, it burned to ashes by some sort of blue flame, as if Kuroko was guarded by something not visible to anyone. Not even to Aomine's sharp eyes.

"Owww." Kuroko scratched the back of his head as he regained from his fall.

Stunned, Aomine wasn't able to move for a while and had just stared weirdly at the boy before him.

_What was that?_

"_What _are you?" Aomine asked when Kuroko finally got up from the ground. His eyes were met by a pair of azure ones. Kuroko has very light blue eyes, he noted. He then felt a tight wonder swirling on them and got confused. Why was Kuroko looking at him like that when it's Aomine who needed answers?

Aomine didn't like being stared at like that so he withdrew his eyes away from Kuroko's searching pair and met the ground. The ashes from the hand earlier were scattered under them.

"Are you mad?" Kuroko asked after a while, the cold finally seeping its way through his bones. He hated the cold so he always stayed indoors but today, he felt like going out and just happened to see Aomine, still sitting at the tree just like when he first saw him a month ago. At first he didn't pay him any attention, thinking that it was just a kid from the neighborhood but as the days passed, he noticed that Aomine was always sitting on that same spot and that his clothes never changed, as if he never even left, as if that was his home.

"Mad for what?"

"For _touching _your tree." Kuroko almost stuttered. To be honest, this kid with tails kind of look mean. "You yelled_ 'Touch him and I'll surely make you regret it!' _earlier."

"Huh? Ah I think you got it all wrong, I only—"

"But you're asking me to climb up, how would I climb up there when you don't even want the tree to be touched. That's just weird."

"What?" Aomine's mouth hung open. "You're the strange one in here. I was just trying to save you."

Kuroko blinked. "From what? "

"From that monster! Didn't you know? It wanted to eat you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You can't be serious, it's like you didn't see it at all…"

_Didn't see it at all? But… it was going after him. That's impossible unless…_

Now it's Aomine's turn to take a step back, he cringed under Kuroko's stare. "Unless you can't see _them_."

"See what?" Kuroko blinked "I can see you perfectly well."

"And my tail, can you see my tail?" It was hesitant question.

"So that's really a tail." There was a smile on Kuroko's lips. "I thought you're just roleplaying or something."

_You've got to be kidding me._ "Kuroko, just what are you exactly? You have wings and—"

Kuroko then looked at him funnily. "Since when did I have _wings_?"

There was a movement in the air. The tension on Aomine's face was returning as he felt another presence approaching. The color had drained from his face.

_He's a human._

"Tetsuya-kun! It's time to go home!"

Kuroko's head turned to the direction of the voice. "Oh, that's my auntie. I have to go—"

But just as he returned his gaze to the boy with tails, he was already gone, as though he wasn't even there in the first place. Kuroko inhaled, and smelled the scent of a cat.

_I haven't even asked for his name. _

* * *

**AN: **Well, first off this also posted in AFF under my username _keri, so no, I didn't copy this in case the story sounds familiar :))

Anyhow, Yōkai is a term mostly associated with Japanese folk creatures and ghosts. Recently, I've been realllllllly interested on things like this, especially when I watched the anime _Natsume Yuujinchou,_ you can say that the plot of this fic will be greatly influenced by that series.

Actually Aomine's tree cannot be seen by humans. Apparently, Aomine isn't aware yet that his tree was supposed to be invisible with naked eyes because it's blessed with a magical barrier that his Kyuubi guardian gave. In our world, it is called a Dracaena aka Dragon Tree, mostly found in Africa, I think... but in this fic, I'll simply call it Aomine's tree :3

PS: This chapter will be highly significant on the following updates that I will write... I might even call this a FALSE chapter... a chapter that contains nothing but _lies._ You'll see why in the future :3

reviews please :D


	2. what is up in there

**A bit OOC especially with Akashi in here I guess? :3 You've been warned~**

* * *

**what is up in there?;**

_It is time to buy a new house._

That was what Tetsuya's great, great, great grandfather must have thought when his eyes landed on the blue-bricked mansion with seamless roof on the northern side of the town. It was a huge house with an equally big courtyard and was surrounded by trees. Elegant curves decorated the gate posts; the fence itself was built quiet high and was made of black steel. Over the years, that became the ancestral house for the entire Kuroko family.

Kuroko's been taken to main house by his aunt after the death of his mother when he was only ten years old.

_"Tetsuya-kun! It's time to go home!" _

"_Okay, uh aunt, I met a kid back there and he got tails—"_

"_Your mom's dead."_

"…"

"_We got a call from the hospital. They said she drowned herself. Seriously, what a troublesome woman."_

"_Mom is… what?"_

"_Dead."_

And after that, there must have been the ocean. They said her mom drowned herself in there, out of despair. But Kuroko knew it wasn't like that. Her mom had always been weird. She could see things others couldn't and that was why many people often made fun and hurt her (him too), saying that she's a liar, that she's crazy.

_Perhaps mom got sick of it; maybe she just wanted to be alone as soon as possible_.

He's just a kid. Perhaps he understood. It could be that he didn't.

Maybe it was both.

The ocean was just behind the ancestral house, on a rocky beach wherein a cave was also located but only visible when the tide is low. It kind of shaped like a cat, when you examined it closely. Not far from the shore was a lighthouse— they said it's already a hundred years old or older with all of those rusty railings that threatened to break when touched and chips of paint peeling off from the wall.

Together with his not-so-loving family, Kuroko currently lives in the mansion. There were three of them living in there, him, his uncle, and the servant boy named Akashi. But it was said that this Akashi was originally part of the family; when his father tainted their name after cheating and going with another woman beside his wife, they were disowned by the entire clan, now they can only stay in the house as servants. Kuroko and Akashi remained unaffected though, despite the harshness their uncle who took them under his wing out of written responsibility often gives them.

"Anywhere else, just not the attic, please—"

"Silence!"

It was only several weeks when he was taken to the mansion when he accidentally broke a million-worth vase displayed on the living room. He was ten years old. Kuroko was frightened of the dark, he couldn't see well too so when his uncle locked him up on the attic, he bawled his eyes out, calling for someone who's not even there.

Akashi could only watch as Kuroko was being dragged up to the ladder, feeling bad because it was originally his fault why the vase broke, if only he hadn't asked Kuroko to play with him, none of this would even happen.

The door to the attic was a slider painted with a dark color. It gives off an impression of being thick, heavy and forbidden. Kuroko was pushed inside the crumpled and dusty room without any candle or source of minimum light. Cold sweat ran down his back as he scanned the surrounding. There was practically nothing to see in there but darkness, he didn't even want to know what he could see in there. After all, it wasn't only because of the obscurity why Kuroko felt so scared, it was worse than that.

Because he knew…

Because the entire family knew that something was residing in there.

Here in this very attic.

Something alive.

"Let me out! Let me out!" He knew it was hopeless but he's not going to sit there and be forced to watch the blackness engulf him. He drew a quiet breath. Light was nowhere to be seen and it didn't sooth his soul. His hands finally hurt and stopped banging at the door, only to end up curling into a ball, hugging his knees close to his chest. He remembered hearing hollow voices whispering close to his ear as everything looked darker and colder. He clasped his hands together and shut his eyes shut, reciting the rosary with almost sinking courage. He fell asKurokop, feeling that a strange little figure was gazing at him, with yellow blinking eyes.

Kuroko didn't know what time it was when day light began to fill the room and the door had been finally unlocked. As he climbed down the ladder from the attic and ran to his room, he thought he heard a voice calling out for him but Kuroko vowed to never return on that place.

Ever again.

* * *

_**Ten years later…**_

One evening, in the beginning of December, there would be a reunion for the entire Kuroko family which was to be held on the ancestral house.

"So that's why Akashi had been running errands a lot these past few days." Kuroko thought as he stared at his reflection on a full-length mirror inside of his room. "Preparations." He added although his uncle barely spoke to him about the said event and had given such a short notice this morning that he needed to dress formal during dinner. Tilting his head a bit, he smiled slightly, feeling awkward but nevertheless satisfied in how his suit fitted his frame perfectly; it was one of those rare times that he could feel confident on his self.

There were four knocks at the door right after Kuroko finished adjusting his tie. He didn't answer because four counts meant that it's Akashi— it was sort of a secret code between the two of them. He turned to the younger boy when the door opened and smiled lightly, as though he was asking if the clothes looked good on him; he never really trusted his own opinion. Akashi shook his head lightly and merely adjusted his cousin's crooked neck tie, slender fingers touching the smooth cloth.

"You're going to be in there?"

"I _party_ too, Akashi."

"Well, that's unexpected."

"It was Uncle's order."

Akashi just hummed in acknowledgement, patted Kuroko's shoulder when he's done with the tie and flopped down on one of Kuroko's padded chairs, eventually examining the pile of books resting on the table in front of it.

"How about you?" Kuroko asked, staring at the younger boy through the mirror. Akashi replied with a shrug.

"Not a chance. Remember how I'm not of the family anymore? And besides our others cousins will just make fun of me so it's better to not show my face in there. I might just hurt them all." His voice was cold. "Oh have I told you already that I found some _awesome_ scissors on the kitchen? Very sharp. I think _they_ are antique, they looked old."

Kuroko knew that the family thing was a sensitive subject so he simply dropped it off with a simple "Okay" and just told Akashi not to use the said scissors to scare the visitors later, no matter how mean they could be. Because Akashi could be a lot _meaner._

He combed his hair one last time and fixed it up into a messy pony tail; it was long enough to be held like that. A few light strands stuck out and fell on the side of his cheeks and framed his semi-rounded face well. Ten years ago felt really distant to Kuroko, back then, he was just a timid kid that looked thin as a sheet of paper. Not that he isn't anymore. He's thinner before though. His once-short hair was now longer, just covering his ears, and his jawline and neck were still slender, but not pitifully thin. He carried no remnant of the weakness he used to see in the mirror whenever he looked at himself, right after the years his mom died and he was left alone.

Right after when he was released from the attic.

Kuroko shook his head and just made his way to the door, throwing Akashi one last look.

"I'll be going then."

"Sure. Have fun." He knew that Akashi was simply being sarcastic about it and grinned.

"And don't forget to bring me leftovers."

"Fine. As long as you don't disarrange the books in—" His sentence was cut off when the said pile of books fell on the floor messily as Akashi had tried to pull a novel out from the middle section.

"Ooops." The younger boys looked at him with a cheeky yet apologetic grin. "Don't worry. Go ahead. I'll clean this up."

Kuroko sighed but left anyway. He had always known that Akashi was a threat to his reading materials.

At night, the hallway and corridors of the mansion can look dreadfully long, and not mention scary; that's why Kuroko barely wander around the darkness, especially when he's alone. Every single sound that would come was a relief to him when he's being succumbed by the silence. Well, it was not really his fault that his room was on the top most floor— third floor and that he also needed to walk down the creepy hallway just to get to the dining area. He should have asked Akashi to accompany him but that would be weird since he's older.

Emerging recklessly and eyes focused solely to the mouth of the stairs, he walked pass the tiny space just around the corner wherein the ladder to the attic was located.

"_Kuroko is the bravest man on earth. Kuroko is the bravest man on earth."_ He told himself repeatedly as he felt cold just by getting near the said ladder. You see, this was what he has to go through just to get downstairs. Ten years had passed but it seemed like that place, that attic, was the only part of the house that had remained untouched.

_Thud. _

He heard something fall upstairs and then it was followed by a set of footsteps. He clutched his chest, and felt his own heartbeat thudding against his palm. He jumped back. Kuroko stopped on his tracks and looked up to the celling, slowly but with keenness.

_Plock!_

_Plock!_

The sound of droplets falling to the ground met his ears and just then, something wet touched his cheeks. The corridors have two sides; the left side was the walls, doors and rooms while the other side was made of glass windows— just like those that were found on churches, so it wasn't hard to see the hallways from the outside. As the moon revealed _herself_ from the clouds and the shadows were thrown down by the light of it, brilliant patterns of crystal snow carved on the window glasses were made visible. The hallways were seen in dim light through the windows. It should have been a beautiful sight, if only Kuroko wasn't aware of the liquid substance sliding down his cheek and onto his neck.

Another drop that came from above made Kuroko paralyzed with fear. It was the colour of blood. Kuroko had never seen anyone or anything for this matter, _bleeding_ as profusely as this. The celling was _bleeding_?

_Was that really blood? _

His eyes remained frozen on that one spot on the ceiling, where blood continued to gather and drop down. The rusty smell of it registered on Kuroko's mind and that made him shiver in terror and sudden nausea. He looked down, ready to run but his feet wouldn't move. Something was really up in there. On that attic. To question that would be ridiculous.

"_Come here."_ A soft voice whispered._ "Come. Hurry." _

Of course Kuroko wouldn't go but his feet acted otherwise.

Another drop of blood landed on the floor and the more the voice talked, the faster the droplets fall, more violently, as if it'll just start _raining_ red.

"_Hurry!"_ The voice almost shouted and he felt a strong force pulling him up to the ladder. _"Climb up!"_

Kuroko shut his eyes close when a new sensation got a grab of him. Literally. There was dull pain on his ankles, and it felt like something was holding him down there. Another force came, grabbed him in the shoulder, and pulled him to the other direction— to the ladder. Kuroko bit his lip; he wanted them, whoever they were, to stop. By now, the force on his shoulders was stronger but the invisible thing holding his foot wouldn't budge either. Kuroko felt like he was in the middle of a tug of war and he's the rope.

—not good.

"Oi, do you want to die, _Tetsu?_"

He heard another voice inside of him. Somehow it sounded familiar, close even.

"That thing on your feet will eat you! Climb up here if you want to live!"

_Oh. This moment seemed familiar too_, he thought despite the danger of the situation.

Kuroko looked down but didn't see anything at all, but that didn't mean that he couldn't feel it.

"_I know you're scared Tetsu, but I can't let you die in here. Not now."_

_Once_, Kuroko thought, closing his eyes firmly. _Just this once._

Just then he felt the grip on his feet loosen but it was replaced by an icy sensation around his neck, and even though Kuroko couldn't see them, he knew they were fingers, five of them, closing around his throat. He bit his lips harder. The taste of blood spread inside his mouth.

"L-let me go." He croaked out.

"_Release him."_ The voice from earlier said. Kuroko thought he saw a glimpse of a tail when the fingers around this neck loosened entirely, then something got slammed on the wall. Hard.

"_Run to the attic."_ The voice commanded_. "Now!"_

Kuroko could feel his own panic rising and before he knew it, he's climbing up on the ladder with trembling hands and opened the door to the attic. For a moment, he felt like he'd die and felt safe right after shutting the door close. Resting his back on the wall, Kuroko sucked in a breath. He felt alright. It was alright. He's still alive. And back on this attic, the place he'd sworn never to enter again.

His fingers trembled with more difficulty and brought them to his face.

_What was that? _

He thought the blood from earlier was still on his face but when he touched his cheeks, they were nowhere to be seen. When he closed his eyes, a flurry of images rushed past his eyelids. A tree, those yellow eyes, and tails.

Tails.

He had seen those before. Kuroko began looking around then. And weird enough, the attic didn't look much darker and colder compared to the last time he'd been in there. In fact, it was almost cozy and warm. As if someone was living in there, keeping it lively for the past ten years.

The door suddenly opened, then closed fast even before Kuroko could blink an eye. Even if he was in the middle of fright, he made sure to lock the door earlier, so how can it be opened so easily?

"_You sure are troublesome." _

Before Kuroko could detect where the voice was coming from, a face was already so close to his, looking at him directly with lips pursed into a thin line. He emits a cold aura, like snow falling to the ground.

"And… you're _still shorter_ than me." The creature said, effortlessly cold but with a tinge of small interest. The pair of fierce eyes was unblinking, aggressive yet calm like the swaying of the grass on a summer day. They were very peculiar eyes, almost inhuman.

Kuroko took a baby-step backward and examined the said creature in front of him. From head to toe and from toe to head, he's basically… well, his tails were something a normal person couldn't have, and they were five of them. To put it simple— Kuroko's not really sure how to describe him.

_Wait, _he thought. _He only has one tail_. He examined the creature closely. But when the said tail moves, it seemed to be in slow motion and was almost multiplying via imagination. The way he swayed his tail was a trick to the eye, it seemed.

He was wearing grey Japanese-like clothing, a _yukata_? And has one slender tail covered with blue light which was at least a meter long; his nails were also painted in a very dark shade of blue, almost black from afar, complimenting dark-blue shade of hair. He looks so fit but not masculine, and has a perfectly tanned skin—the kind that you probably wouldn't have expected to like. Almost exotic. And his eyes were coloured so unnaturally of yellow, an almost-transparent tint. They caught the light of the moon, and glimmered.

"Admiring my good looks?"

The bold comment stopped Kuroko's train of thoughts and made him focus on the current matter.

"No. I just…" He replied, a bit calm and was still reluctant. He didn't even know who this guy was. Kuroko pondered for a second and had decided that it was no use panicking so he'd just ask this unknown guy questions that would clarify his confusion. "Who are you exactly?"

"This is why I _haaaaaaaate_ humans." The guy with tails sneered, throwing Kuroko a nasty look. "I really hate you. You're not even scared of a creature like me."

"Pardon?"

"I said I hate you."

"Well, I'm sure I don't have any idea why."

"That!" He pointed an accusing finger to him. "God, I hate it when you don't have the slightest idea. Were you born stupid?"

"You're making me sound like I am. I don't even know who you are."

"You… you what?"

"Don't know you."

"At all?"

"At all."

There was a moment of silence.

"If I have known, I should have just let you die out there."

"And you didn't. Which is why you owe me explanations."

"Don't try to outsmart me with that sharp tongue of yours."

Kuroko drew a quite breath, the air smelled faintly moist but sweet, nothing like the old rusty scent he was expecting from the attic. He inched his way forward, careful not to touch the boxes surrounding them, this was a storage room after all. The area was rather small, compared to what he had seen ten years ago; perhaps that's because he's just a child back then.

"I _know_ who you are." The guy with tails told him. Kuroko lifted his head and looked at him. For a male, Kuroko wasn't sure that, he was rather beautiful. That was pure sensory judgment. Sublime might even be the correct word to describe him because he held this air of mystery and ineffability which Kuroko lacks.

"Really?" Kuroko didn't mean to sound doubtful, actually the more he looks at him, the more familiar he gets.

"I thought you remembered, since you didn't freak out when you saw me. I mean, I have a _tails_." The guys raised himself slowly, elegantly moving the said tails.

Unfazed, Kuroko answered. "It's only one, actually. The way you move it is a trick to make it look like they were five of them."

The unknown guy sneered at him because he was right.

"Hm…" Kuroko gave a soft sound of acknowledgement.

"Are you... well, not human? The tails on your back... so... sometimes, I mean, right now I can see them."

"If you believe in me, definitely real."

"So you're actually aware of them. They are genuine? I-I thought you're just role-playing."

The other boy fell silent. In front of Kuroko, there was only an expanse of darkness; Kuroko couldn't feel his presence, as if he wasn't really there. Then the other guy suddenly started to tremble; _Ah_. He was laughing.

"You are _highly _unbelievable." He said in between his chuckles. "You actually said the exact same thing… like ten years ago, when we first met."

The wrinkles in his face when this guy smiles, Kuroko thought, were like the layer of fluffy clouds moving ever so unhurriedly on the azure sky; dancing with the wind and soft as silk. He wondered how it can look so calm and gentle, greatly contrasting the sharp features of his face.

"Oh." Kuroko said then paused. "You… you're the guy on the three."

"I'd like to believe that I am more than just the 'guy from the tree', Kuroko. And you still don't know my name, right? It's Aomine, by the way."

"Finally. It's nice to meet you again, Aomine."

Hearing his name, Aomine's breath seemed to slow down. He rubbed his nose with the back of his hands and sneezed. And whenever he did this, it's a sign that he's somewhat nervous.

"See? You can remember me clearly now, you have to; I just knew that it was impossible for someone like me to be forgotten." Was his proud claim, hiding the tremble on his voice. After all, Kuroko was still a human… he still smells like one. Although the wings on his back, Aomine had taken note of them, of course— just grew bigger… and more beautiful. They were neatly folded on Kuroko's back now and were glimmering through the faint light of the moon, sinful and naïve.

_Ah._ That was why he was trembling. Not only his wings had gotten bigger but the suffocating force it emits too.

Things that possess overwhelming power tend to inspire instinctual fear.

"Your hair's longer." Kuroko noted, eyes glowing with fondness and finally at ease to see an old, old, old friend— if they were really friends in the past. If there's anything in the world that holds a value from his past, it'd certainly be Aomine.

And just Aomine alone.

Because everything he thought he had before were all gone now.

"It'd been ten years, of course it'd become longer." He answered, dismissing the hollow anxiety from the pits of his heart. It seemed like Kuroko was still NOT aware of the wings. Aomine was now mindful that Kuroko was not quite human. He was just a child back then… seeing a creature like Kuroko frightened him, he didn't smell like a human yet he acted like one. He lives like a normal person. It was like seeing a fish climb a tree.

But that didn't change the fact that Aomine saved him, as to why he did so, he's not even sure himself, but then again, he has so many secrets of his own. Perhaps he's lying about his density towards the current matter, maybe Aomine knows what Kuroko really was and even if he did, he's not going to say it or made anyone aware of it.

He walked to the other side of the room and fetched candle sticks from one of the dusty shelves. Kuroko had to wonder why he was so familiar with the places on this attic, given the fact that it's so dark inside of it.

Using the light of his tails, Aomine lighted the three candles and soon enough, bluish light illuminated the entire room. That was only the time Kuroko had realized and saw that the entire place was actually… a bedroom. There was a bed placed in front of the middle window and a table set in front of the window in the right corner; other than that, there were no signs of other furniture. However, it was an orderly room, free of the clutter of everyday life. It felt a lot different from the rest of the house, almost as if it were in another house altogether.

As the room bathed itself in dim light, the clanking sounds of dragging chains echoed through the walls and onto the four sides of the room. Kuroko shivered at the meticulous sound and looked for the source of it, only to lay his eyes on Aomine's right foot— a rusty metal chain was embracing his ankle. It was connected to a wooden post that supports the very roof of the attic, locked and cruel. A rush of concern clogged Kuroko's train of thoughts for he unexpectedly reached out for Aomine's restrained foot, but a force blocked him from touching it— sending him flying to the wall.

Aomine weirdly stared at him, eyebrows arched— clueless on how Kuroko was suddenly on the other side of the room. Then the realization had hit him. He looked back and forth from the chain on his feet to Kuroko who was standing up from the floor, a small pained frown painted on his face.

"Ah, so you finally noticed." Aomine can hardly lift his foot but still tried to show Kuroko the chains. In return, Kuroko walked closer, as if to examine the said metal.

"What is that for?" He asked feeling genuinely troubled. The chains seriously looked like they were heavy and it already felt painful to Kuroko's eyes.

"What are chains for exactly?" Aomine asked back. Walking towards his bed and sat down, he dragging the chains with him. He sighed heavily and by hearing that, Kuroko had come to the conclusion that he truly didn't like the sound of it.

"You don't look like a prisoner." Kuroko replied, sending Aomine a worried look. He returned it with an indifferent stare. Aomine's smooth, tanned skin glowed in the candle's light and his bangs casted shadow over his eyes. Under that veil, those very same eyes were suddenly jaded.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Because in fact… I am a prisoner."

"You don't…" Kuroko once again threw a look on the chain. "…have that when we first met. You were on the tree. You're _free_."

Aomine winced at the last word. "Your head is always above the clouds, Kuroko. Don't say such things that can make me regret coming in here. I really don't like to make you carry a huge burden."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want to know?"

Aomine sighed again, his fist clenching and unclenching. "This is not the reunion I'd like to have with you. Actually, I_ don't_ even want to meet you again." Aomine added, swinging his restrained foot slowly, producing faint clunky sound. There was a smirk on his lips. Kuroko felt bad for some reason. "But I can't let you die either. And that brought us together on this unexpected rendezvous and contradicted my lifetime resolution." Aomine grinned sadly at him, teeth all white and sparkly. He has fangs too; Kuroko couldn't help but notice that despite their current situation.

"Based on how you refer it, it seemed like I did something to offend you." It was almost a whisper because Kuroko was afraid that if he raised his voice, Aomine would… he didn't know, attack him? Perhaps. This conversation gave that kind of feeling.

"Offend me?" Aomine repeated, with a hint of sarcasm. "Oh no, not at all. Although, it really has something to do with you."

"Can I say that I am not afraid to know why?"

"Kuroko, your bravery is remarkable, I suppose. But you've always been so naïve, has anyone ever told you that?" Aomine suddenly broke the tense atmosphere which made Kuroko felt somewhat stupefied. Was he really serious? But then again, it wasn't that normal to see a guy with glowing tails; moreover, what attacked him earlier— he was certain that Aomine knows who or _what _was it.

"Remember that day when I stopped seeing you?" Aomine asked. Kuroko nodded, resting his back against the wall. "Well, it's because I found out that you are a human."

"Isn't that quite obvious?"

"No, it isn't. And as a kid, you are pretty stupid, Kuroko. Who talks to a suspicious looking boy who's living in a tree with tails? Only you. For a week, you kept on pestering me."

"It paid off though. But when you finally talked, you suddenly disappeared, too."

"And so did you."

The silence happened.

"I have my reasons." Kuroko said, eyes directed on his shoes as if they were the most interesting thing that he saw. This was his defense mechanism.

"Just so you know, I hate humans and you are associated with them. They killed my mum." Aomine said. "See? I have a reason too. But I never left, I just avoided any kind of contact from you, unlike what you did… you were gone."

"I'm sorry about your mum."

"You don't have to apologize. It'd been hundreds of years since then and don't try to change the subject."

"I am not." Kuroko drawled, wanting to ask what he meant by 'hundreds of years', but that would make Aomine accuse that he's changing the subject again. "My mum died too, that day. So I have to move. Everything happened so suddenly and that's why I stopped visiting your tree. It's not like I forgot."

"Oh…"

"_So we're both orphans." _was the sentence left unsaid.

"Anyway…" Aomine started yet again after a long pause. "This is only the beginning of the _Things That You Still Don't Know." _

"I'm old enough now so I can tell that you aren't human." Kuroko started when Aomine stopped speaking, as though he gave Kuroko the chance to ask. "What are you?"

"_I should be the one asking you that." _Aomine thought.

He wanted to ask Kuroko about his wings but… he figured out that even Kuroko… really couldn't see them. It would be troublesome to explain something that even he didn't quite understand himself.

"And what about the _things_ that attacked me earlier?" was the added question.

"Well first off, I'm a cat."

"Oh. That explains the tail but that is not actually the answer that I've been expecting. I believe you could be more_… specific_."

"I'm half cat and half— as much as I want to deny it, half human-something. I don't know. We are often referred to as demon cats but truthfully we are called 'nekomata'—demons that are believed to have developed from a domestic cat. After ten years of age, the cat's tail would split into two, and it would develop powers of necromancy and shamanism which of course… that I lack, since just like what's I've said, I am not a full Nekomata. That explains why I only have a single tail too." He shrugged, obviously not pleased with his own answer. "I have no cat ears though but I can float, if no one is looking. Just like this 'Cheshire Cat' humans have."

Kuroko smiled a bit at the reference but kept it hidden "And here I thought you're a fox. You know, just like those tales about Kyuubi."

"They are not just tales, a Kyuubi is real, Kuroko. They raised me when my mum died. And personally, I think they are way cooler than me."

"Your tails are cool though, the blue color gives off a pleasant feeling."

"Right." Aomine didn't know if it was a compliment but he has decided to ignore it. "Your attackers are called 'Tsuchigumo'. They looked like huge spiders and are capable of shape-shifting which explains why you probably felt fingers chocking you. Not only do they love humans but once they build a nest on a human body, their number may increase rapidly. You're lucky they haven't got you. Not yet."

"And I didn't even see anything." Kuroko muttered. "Since I can see you, why can't they be visible in my eyes?"

"That…" Aomine sighed. "…is something beyond my knowledge. I wonder about that too."

Kuroko was silenced by this, thinking of what Aomine meant. In return, Aomine patted the free space beside him with his tails, motioning Kuroko to have a seat.

"Don't think so deeply, you might not be able grasp everything all at once." As his sentence met the end, Kuroko was already seated beside him, seeking understanding from the body heat of the cat boy. It might have sounded absurd, but as of this moment, Kuroko felt everything rushing in, because Aomine was only thing he had from the past, he thought he had abandoned everything already, but here he was, talking to a fragment of his childhood— probably the worst phase on his life. And he just saved him today.

"I actually followed you." Aomine eyes were staring at a distance— an expanse of darkness lurking around the room. "I never left that tree ever since my guardians died. The Kyuubi I was talking about, she also died. Ten years ago, I felt kind of unusually guilty for disappearing so suddenly when we were talking and I thought I might have offended by doing so, that's why you never came back and visited me."

"The Kyuubi said the world is a dangerous place. Humans are cruel. They were selfish and irrational. And to prove that, they killed my mum in past. So I grew up hating them. But then you came, and it was just… entirely different, you're just so… _dumb,_ no offense okay? It really didn't look like you could do any harm. Plus, you can see me, not everyone can, in fact you're the first one who did… so I thought we really could be friends. But you disappeared before I realize these things."

"That was rather unexpected." Kuroko admitted. "I thought you hated me." The memory from ten years ago was blurred to him… but the more Aomine talk about it, the more his memory refreshes. Even remembering the unwanted part of it.

"Please refrain from being flattered. Just because I felt like that in the past doesn't mean that I still do right now." Aomine furrowed his brows, snapping his eyes at him for a second.

"Ah sorry. Okay."

"Do you believe in fate, Kuroko?"

There was another silence since the boy in question wasn't exactly sure how he would answer that. He didn't want to say words that might offend Aomine.

"Maybe." He then said. "Since we met again, I will take chances on believing with that so-called fate."

Aomine smirked slyly, eyes softening for a split second before diminishing his delighted expression. "A fair answer." He muttered and sighed.

"So… as I was saying, I left the tree and followed your scent. This house, I ended up in here. And I actually saw you. But there was something off. You couldn't see me anymore. Curious, I stayed by your side for a while, thinking that you'll eventually see me again. Until you were brought to this attic. You remember that time, don't you? When you broke that vase."

Kuroko could only nod, not wanting to speak. He perfectly remembered that time. The darkness, the tears and the terror.

"During that time, it seemed like you saw me." Aomine looked at him. "But you got so freaked out. You started crying and crying. I tried to spoke to you but it seemed like that more I try, the more scared you get. And after that…"

"Oh! So… you're the voice that I heard?" He asked, vaguely remembering the hollow voice from ten years ago.

"Like I said… perhaps that was me."

As if Aomine existed in a distinct way Kuroko could not.

A smile escaped his lips, an unusual reaction— genuine and honest. "I really have no idea, though I did see this sort of yellowish eye blinking at me but that was only for a swift moment."

"You saw me… and have mistaken me for a monster. Well technically speaking, in a human's perception, I am indeed a monster, aren't I?"

Kuroko gave Aomine a sheepish grin. That's a yes.

"I knew it." He sighed, the chains on his feet clunk. "When you were free from this attic, I was left behind. I can't go out— not through the door or through the window and before I knew it, when the night came, this chain was already attached to my ankle. They can only be seen when the sun is down."

It was cold inside the attic. Much colder than what Kuroko had expected. They had been talking for a while now but the rust and the sound and the gleam of Aomine's chain seemed to be enjoying the little fiasco of coldness in Kuroko's nerves. He hated it, hated seeing someone restrained because it reminded him of many things.

"Is there a way to remove that?"

"You mean the chains?"

Kuroko nodded. "Yes, and moreover, I want to see you free. Again."

"I appreciate your concern but if you're doing this out of pity, then you better not try to help me."

"I wouldn't call it pity if I were you. Besides, you just told me, indirectly, that it is my fault why you're here."

"_A human… cannot free me and survive."_ Aomine muttered, too softly for Kuroko to hear.

"Oh. Very clever." He said instead. "You noticed?"

Kuroko sighed. "It won't take a genius to figure that out." A pause. "So what should I do? Surely, there's a way to release you."

"Surely, you say? I don't even know how this thing…" Aomine swayed the chains a bit. "...got attached on me in first place. How am I supposed to know?"

Five minutes later, Kuroko found himself leaving the attic— hesitant but with a reason. He almost forgot about the dinner party and without doubt, his uncle wouldn't be just mad, he'd be reaaaaaaaally mad. Not that Kuroko cared anymore by the way. If he's to lock him up the attic, Kuroko found no reason to be afraid again. In fact, he wants to see the cat boy and find a way to release him on the vague imprisonment.

"You sure it's going to be okay?" He asked Aomine, one leg down on the ladder. The candle with bluish fire was held by one of Aomine's tails, wrapped securely so it would not fall and cause additional noise. He brought it close to his chest and made Kuroko see his face much clearer, casting shadow of long eyelashes on his tanned cheeks the lacks the color of life.

"For now, yes." Aomine said. "Just go back first. Your bald…" A snicker. "…uncle might be looking for you now. I mean… I won't be able to leave this place by the way so feel free to find a _reason_ to visit me." Kuroko nodded, taking another step down the ladder and continued until he reached the carpeted floor. The light of the moon seemed to glimmer when it found Kuroko's presence, as if it wanted to paint the boy silver. He looked up at the attic's tiny square entrance and was pleased to see that Aomine was still on the lookout. There was a faint smile on the boy's lips as he closed the wooden door, leaving Kuroko with the thought that perhaps, Aomine, wasn't that lonely alone in the attic, despite being trapped for almost ten years.

"Kuroko!" He heard Akashi's voice from the other side of the hallway and quickly turned around to meet the said boy.

"Akashi…" He looked at his cousin's face, the color was drained from it. "What's the matter?"

In return, the younger boy face-palmed himself. "Uncle was furious. Where the hell have you been _**last night?**_! You're aware that we're the host for the dinner of the enti—"

"Last night?" Kuroko repeated, face incredulous at his cousin's words. "The dinner is just starting." He said. "And I am just on my way to the hall. I might be late for ten or twenty minutes but nothing as exaggerated as what you're talking about."

"If twenty minutes is your new term for twenty freaking hours, then yes dear cousin, it must really be twenty freaking minutes!" Akashi shouted, forgetting that he's actually talking to a person older than him and that he just cussed out loud. He rarely does that, especially not in front of Kuroko— whom he treated like a brother.

"Do you have any idea what I've gone through last night? Uncle was so furious that he forced me to attend the goddamn dinner despite the claim that I am already an outcast from the family!" Akashi added, his hands were clenching into fists and unclenching, fingernails digging into his palms. "I was laughed at, humiliated and ridiculed. God, I was so mad I just want to cut them all. You know that might happen... why did you disappeared last night? Where did you even go?"

"I..." Kuroko was confused, Aomine owe him much more explanation. He swallowed as the weight of the situation donned on him.

But then, he thought... alhtough Akashi could be bit harsh, he's actually kind, so Kuroko was certain he'd believe in him if he told him about Aomine, but since he was so kind, Kuroko's also sure that Akashi would feel bad... because this kid cared for him so much. It might be selfish, but Kuroko didn't like it. He wanted his cousin to always be smiling.

"I was just…" His breath was getting cold. "I am so sorry Akashi, I didn't mean to leave last night." He lied. "I just felt so suffocated with everything Uncle wants me to do so I abandoned the dinner. I honestly didn't expect him to pick you as a substitute." He walked closer to his cousin and patted him on the head. Luckily, Akashi didn't flinch from the touch. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I promise."

That night, Kuroko spend the night losing sleep. He almost lost his mind, he thought… but he didn't. Because everything was real. Aomine with his chains were still at the attic and it turned out that he really missed the planned dinner; he really had gone missing for twenty hours. The undeniably terrible guilt was eating up his train of thoughts. Akashi got a few bruises form the dinner, it seemed like their Uncle had beaten him up because of how frustrated he was when Kuroko was supposed to be at the dinner— why you ask?

Because Kuroko, despite the fact the he was an orphan, with no glorious family background whatsoever, was a scholar, smart and admired by a few bachelorettes that shared his age… ladies from known families. And those were the people who had come for him on the party last night. Unlike Akashi who's still a kid— rejected by the family, lanky and a bit mean, their Uncle currently sees him as a good investment. He wanted to tell Akashi that once he grows up, Uncle might treat him better— even with the ulterior motives. Oh the sickening minds of the adults. Ugly.

* * *

"Good Morning, Kuroko."

A friend from the local café greeted him after opening the door, the chimes fixed on it ringing like xylophones in a festive parade. With a cheeky smile, dark Asian eyes and thin lips, he offered Kuroko an uncharestically warm welcome. He's usually mean with Kuroko too, but then again, he just likes to bicker with the other boy too.

"Good day to you too, Sire." Kuroko replied, sitting down in front of the counter, the bags under his eyes were as dark as his unpolished shoes.

Taiga Kagami was his name; he's a guy who a year older than Kuroko but is definitely much more capable of doing chores that requires strength. Crimson hair that's usually styled in spikes was his frequent hairstyle, although at one time, Kuroko saw him with a hair that he can associate with Lasagna, but that was back when they were still not acquainted with each other. Probably three years ago, if he wasn't mistaken.

"You read too much books; stop talking like you're from the eighteenth-something century, it gives me the creeps." He replied with an outspoken voice. "The usual order? French toast, buttered salmon and—"

"I just need coffee."

Kagami paused on wiping the glasses, giving Kuroko a '_you-can't-be-serious-it's-the-end-of-the-world_' look.

"Coffee." Kuroko repeated.

"You _don't_ drink coffee." Kagami deadpanned. "Last time you did was when Akashi got missing while we're playing on the cave near the beach and that was like… a year ago."

"I'm surprised you can remember something so complex but forget the simple ones like that I am a customer right now and that you, as an employee, have to serve me. I need coffee, Kagami."

"It just means that I care!" He _pouted_. "As a friend, you know."

"Yes, thank you Kagami but I'd really appreciate it if you'd just give me a nice cup of coffee."

"Fine." He surrendered with a frown but brew the coffee anyway. Soon enough the roasted smell of beans and silent sound from the machine filled the entire place— or at least that was what Kuroko would like to think. Because on the back of his head, he can still hear the sound of dragging chains that were attached on Aomine's ankle, grinding its friction with the ground in a menacing manner. Even so, he still have to help the cat boy. If what he was saying was true, then it would truly be Kuroko's fault why Aomine was stuck on the attic.

How did it end up like this anyway? Back then, everything was so pure.

Ten years ago, Kuroko just wanted to be friends with Aomine.

"How did some people with good intentions end up doing the most terrible things?"

"Uh, what are you talking about, Kuroko?"

Kuroko blinked and blinked again. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Apparently, yes."

"Oh." He took a sip on the coffee that was served. Kagami leaned on the counter, resting his face on his palm and stared at Kuroko, more like… to examine his face.

"I'll answer that." He said. When Kuroko looked at him curiously, Kagami can't help but sigh. "Your question, I mean."

"Enlighten me then, since you heard it already."

"I say… people with extremely strong desires often forget about those around them, until the desires are fulfilled. Yet it is because they are so single-minded that their desires are so strong. Unfortunately, this same single mindedness hurts the people who care about."

Kuroko's coffee seemed to be forgotten on the table the time Kagami finished his self-explanation. _"I might have to rethink of my first impression on this guy."_ He thought.

"Thanks."

"Woah. Never thought you'd say that."

"Shut up, Kagami."

* * *

**This is quite a long read, I noticed :P**

**Review please! Thank you for reading~**


	3. the search

_thank you for the favs and follows ;)_

* * *

**the search;**

* * *

After the first time Kuroko had visited Aomine, he had been more cautious of his surrounding, less paranoid but more awkward. It was also since the happenstance with Akashi and how he had gone for hours when it was just minutes on the attic that Kuroko had grown both suspicious and unworldly towards Aomine. Today would be his second visit to the tailed boy. Three days had passed.

At ten o'clock in the evening, Kuroko found himself sitting at Aomine's bed— which surprised him since it seemed like the bed hadn't gotten old—creaky but just… weak, as if the bed itself was alive and that the whole attic was breathing. Aomine was sitting by the window, catching fireflies with his eyes, waiting for Kuroko to talk since he has no intention of opening up any topic. It was Kuroko who visited anyway. Just like the old times.

"I need a drastic change in my life." Kuroko suddenly said and Aomine shot him a look full of suspicion.

"Shouldn't I be the one who have to wish for something like that?"

"I see. You are mad about something."

Aomine's tail illuminated through the darkness.

"Mad? You didn't visit for three days." There was a hard feeling on his words.

"I thought I could visit whenever I want to?"

"I was just being polite, you dumbass. Of course I didn't mean it! You have to visit the attic every day."

"Visit the attic, or visit you?"

"Both! Good god, do you even know how irritating you are at the moment?" But before Kuroko could answer that one... "Apparently, NO. And that makes me more irritated."

"You don't need be so upset. I know you want to be released from those chains. I even feel guilty just by breathing here."

"I don't know Kuroko. The older I get, the less people I trust."

There was a slight but sudden movement in the attic_, _the walls shook for a second and had gone before Kuroko could process what had happened, _an_ _earthquake_? he thought. But that didn't really trouble him, what felt odd was…

"Cut the crap, Kise. I didn't get old."

A voice, very much similar to Aomine spoke.

"What…" Kuroko leaned closer to source of the voice— which was right in front of him, he tried standing up but all he felt was the pillow as he fell on top of it. In a flash, another boy was above him, pinning him to the bed. It seemed like he jumped down from the ceiling, just like spiderman. He became still, and not long after, Kuroko was released from the hold. Aching, he sat up from the bed.

"Kuroko, you are so easy to fool." He heard Aomine speaking, and when he opened his eyes, there were already two people looking at him. Of course there was Aomine, but the other one… the tall one who wore a normal high school uniform looked tremendously unfamiliar to him. His haired was blonde, with his deep round eyes carrying a blue shade. A human… or at least, that was what he looked like. "Couldn't you even tell that that wasn't me?"

"So this is Kuroko, eh?" The young man said, a hint of true mischievousness written all over his face; a smirk dancing through his parted lips.

"And what do I owe you for this visit?" Aomine asked the student, an air of familiarity settled upon the two of them.

"I'm Kise." Said the boy, pulling out a hand from his pocket for a handshake. Kuroko stared at it and then to Aomine. The tanned boy had a lack of reaction so Kuroko took Kise's hand and shook it.

"Uh… nice to meet you?"

"Nice to meet you too and sorry for tricking you earlier. I have a habit of copying Aomine's _hideous_ appearance."

"Oi, answer me when I'm talking to you! And what do you mean by hideous?"

"Oh Aomine's mad. Perhaps we should stop ignoring him now."

"How did you know about Aomine?"

As those words fell from Kuroko lips, Aomine and Kise stopped bickering and looked at him with measuring stares. They both shook their heads and Kise seemed troubled— frowning as he did so. He just met Kise, who has the ability to change his appearance, Aomine who has a blue glowing tail—definitely out of this world and yet Kuroko remained calm.

"Told you he's always unfazed."

"Crazy, you mean."

"That too."

"And weird."

"Yeah."

"Just saying… I can hear the two of you, you know."

"Kise's a human, by the way. Perfectly normal." Aomine announced to him, "But he can change his appearance, transform his face."

"_And you're saying that he's a human…"_ Kuroko muttered when the words 'transform his face' sunk in on his mind. But then again, everything associated with Aomine was strange; this guy was probably included on the _Things That You Still Don't Know About_ cluster.

"I met him after I was confided in here." Aomine started. "I think he was hired to clean the attic— everyone else backed out, but this guy's the only one who took the job. Surprisingly, he was able to see me."

"I thought he's just a huge stuff toy but when I tried to put him in a box, he bit my hand."

"You touched my butt, you ingrate. That's harassment."

"I was _**lifting**_ you." Kise deadpanned.

"Whatever." Aomine rolled his eyes. "He lives on the light house near the cave— by the beach, if you know where that is."

"I know that." Kuroko nodded, remembering the day Akashi got lost on the cave but he didn't say that out loud. "But the light house was… abandoned, right? No one lives in there." His eyes found Kise's. And when he stared at them, he can see the water swirling… he shook his head.

"It's not that no one lives in there, you guys are just clueless. I'm surprised no one had ever noticed me exc—" Kise stopped, his word left hanging in mid-air. "E-except for Aomine." He continued. In return, Aomine looked at him unbelievably, almost glaring but just sighed in the end.

"Yes, of course, except for me."

"But I thought you can't leave the attic," Kuroko asked, brows furrowed together.

"During full moons, I can. Didn't I mention that last time?"

"No, you didn't."

"Oh… my bad. I guess I forgot." He stuck his tongue out.

"It's not even funny." Kuroko snapped, annoyed. "And here, I was so worried and guilty; I thought you can't leave the attic at all and it's my entire fault."

Aomine suddenly got quiet and Kise sensed the heaviness of the situation. "Geez." He tapped Kuroko's shoulder and forced him to sit on the bed again.

"Life is full of secrets and lies, Kuroko. So when you get screwed over, don't act surprised. Although, Aomine might have reasons…" He shot Aomine a look of knowing and the latter caught that.

Aomine glared.

"_Don't Kise."_ His tails waved furiously. _"Just shut the hell up." _He mouthed and he knew Kise understood that even without the sound of words.

Reluctant and helpless, Kise sighed as to feign his defeat.

"I just want to release him from here." Kuroko muttered lowly, casting sideway glances at Aomine who remained determinedly quiet.

"I know." Kise told him. As an outsider to this matter, this was not his problem and it shouldn't be enough to concern him. The problem, rather, was that he seeks for something that Kuroko has and without him, it would be impossible for Kise to achieve. So he chose to get involve but he would remain as quiet as he could for the objective he was carrying must remain hidden. He smiled.

"I am aware of the situation, Aomine told me everything." He said as Kuroko gave him a curios look. _He really is innocent_, Kise thought and doubted if Kuroko was really the person Aomine often talked about. "And I am here to help you out."

The faint moonlight escaping from the window lit Aomine from the left, falling across his face and tracing the delicate curve of his forehead and nose. The air then shifted. The window was left slightly open— enough space for them to smell the expanding fresh air that carried plenty of moisture. It was raining hard above. Aomine shivered.

Before continuing their conversation, Kuroko got up from his seat and closed the said window. Drawing the curtains down, Kise gave him a questioning look yet even without being answered, his eyes softened, unnoticed.

"I just…" Kuroko stuttered. "I just thought Aomine might dislike the rain since… he's_ quite_ a cat." He said lowly afterwards. There was something intimate about his manner of speech that others could not hear.

"Your concern is much appreciated." Aomine said to him, too formal that Kuroko had to wonder if he was being sarcastic or not. Too bad the small smile on the latter's lips was too serene for Kuroko to notice.

A branch with green leaves still attached smacked into the window. A gust of wind followed, and its roar resonated for some time. Almost without thinking, Aomine winced at the sound.

"Alright." Kise broke the seemingly awkward atmosphere. "Apparently… we are dealing with things called Ayakashi—mysterious, inhuman entities, invisible to the vast majority of people living today. There are many types of these spirits, from those that possess people to those that possess objects and buildings, even those who take the form of human beings and animals. One of them is a certain creature called _'Okami'_."

At the mention of the name, Aomine's eyebrows furrowed.

_"Okami?" _Kuroko repeated as he sat himself down on Aomine's bed. Aomine sat on the floor, his tails on his lap, as the three of them formed a mini circle; the usual never-melting candles that burned with blue flames illuminated the most part of the attic.

"She's from the Japanese Mythology— goddess of the sun. Usually, she takes the form of a huge wolf and lives on a spiritually powerful mountain; significantly higher in rank than simple spooks and goblins."

"So you're saying that she is real too?"

"Unfortunately, yes. And for some reason… she was also sealed on this very attic."

"Was?"

"We don't know the exact details but it is certain that she was once confined in here for a very long time. When your great, great, great grandfather bought this house, he sort of put random spells, wards, and seals around the whole place, without even knowing what they were for. I think it's kind of a fad back then anyway." Kise smirked, seemingly amused at the idea. "With that, he had accidently trapped the goddess on his attic and of course, your grandpa had no idea of that— after all he can't see the likes of _Okami_. You know, _unnatural beings_. And Aomine here…" Kise turned to him. "Would you like to continue the story instead?"

Aomine sighed constantly but assented in the end. His face was etched with extreme reluctance though and his pair of yellow feline eyes remained unblinking. He fixed his gaze to Kuroko, and just then, his eyes grew calm like the surface of a cold ocean and Kuroko could feel no emotions on them. They were very quiet eyes.

"I already told you the part when I followed you, right?"

For a moment, Kuroko felt like he would get sucked into Aomine's eyes. He averted his gaze and looked down, Kuroko could only nod.

"Well I'm sorry for not telling you in the first place, I kind of lied last time too. Don't get mad, I know you have the right to know but I just don't want to talk about it. Well, listen now okay? Here's the detailed version of it."

He drew a deep breath. Kise rolled his eyes. He sort of gets annoyed when Aomine wants to be serious.

"Okami, she's a real awful goddess by the way, you have to remember that— she transferred her imprisonment curse on me. Ten years ago, when we were at the attic, she saw me and I saw her. Just like my current state, she has a chain but it was attached on her neck instead, more like a leash since she's on her wolf form. Apparently, she was strong enough to transfer the curse but not powerful enough to break the spell entirely which leads us to the current situation."

Kuroko couldn't help but think, he wasn't familiar with this kind of well… _peculiarity._ Quite a bizarre condition yet on the back of his mind, someone was telling him that this was all real. After all, didn't he once think that reality usually depresses him? And that he needed fantasy worlds and escape on them?

"There is a way to unlock the chain though." Kise, after staying quiet for a while, spoke. "Okami only appears during summer. If you can see Aomine, then there's a high possibility that you might be able to see Okami too. You can see me when I changed appearance too, right? Usually when I do that, normal people would not be able to see me at all— it's like I disappear completely. You might even attract Okami…"

"Attract her?"

"She fancies young men who can see her wolf form and once you laid your eyes on her, she will be able to sense it. She will come to you too, eventually. It will be an easy task to find her."

"How would I know if she's near?"

"You'll hear a song. Do you know the Nursery Rhyme of Another Summer?"

Kuroko shook his head. The rain continued to pour down. Aomine once again fought a shiver down his spine.

"It's a very distinct music piece. You'll just know it is that the moment it begins playing. When I first saw her, I heard it clearly in my head too. It starts off with the sound of children laughing." Aomine told him, eyes hovering over one of the lit candles, blue flames scorching. _Then you'll see the memory of the worst thing that had ever happened in your life,_ was the sentence left unsaid.

"The louder the song is… the farer Okami is to you. The weaker it sounds… the nearer she is." Aomine continued. "She uses this to trick humans; she sometimes feeds on them by the way. Especially during full moons."

Kuroko's heart soar a beat higher at the thought, somehow it scared him, and the fear seeped on to the depths of his being. His bones creaked and shrieked each time he thinks about it.

"W-why didn't I see Okami back then?" He asked Aomine. "I was at the attic too, and I can see you."

"You didn't see me, right?" There's a quick flicker of sadness on Aomine's eyes that Kuroko failed to notice. "You momentarily stopped seeing me. I don't know how it happened but I guess it was good thing you didn't laid your eyes on that beast."

"Since Okami is the only one who knows how to break Aomine's chain, it's inevitable not to seek for her _guidance_." Kise said casually, as if the whole talk about Okami and her bad man-hunting habits were nothing to him. "There's still a month before summer starts though."

"Are you really human, Kise?" Kuroko asked, growing suspicious of why he knew all about this… when he's just a mere human, wasn't that what Aomine said? Well, Kuroko himself is a human too… but that's not the case in here.

Kise blinked and blinked again, a soft chuckle escaped from his lips.

"I knew there are lots of reasons why you asked me that but believe me, I am only a human… just like you." He said as if to emphasize his last word. _"You..."_

"Fine." Kuroko had said nothing more.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

"Not really. I just figured out that it is none of my business. Human or not, you are still going to help me, right?"

"Glady."

"But seriously Kuroko, why would try and help Aomine? I mean, it's dangerous enough to threaten your life and no offense… you guys are nothing but childhood friends, right?"

"Isn't that reason enough?" He made sure Aomine could hear this.

Just as those words parted from his lips, Aomine sunk on the floor; his back hitting the hard surface and was just looking at the roof of the attic wherein his chain was linked. It creaked as he moved his foot. He was trying to conceal a smile and failed. Both Kise and Kuroko stared at him.

"Didn't I tell you, Kise? He's as crazy as hell."

* * *

_Reviews will be greatly appreciated :3_


	4. visiting kise

**Disclaimer: **I can't own them asdfghjkl I take full credit for the OOCness tho :3

* * *

**visiting kise;**

* * *

"You were up all night, weren't you?" Akashi asked his cousin as he folded Kuroko's blanket and made his bed. Normally he wouldn't do this, but of course, his cousin is an exception.

"Of course… not." Kuroko yawned. "Why would I stress myself like that?"

Akashi rolled his eyes. "You get bags easily under your eyes."

Kuroko bit his lip.

He's been losing sleep for a week now, always sneaking out in the middle of the night to visit Aomine at the attic. Although they've talked for several minutes only… it seemed like time goes ten times faster inside the attic compared to the normal flow of the clock. A minute is equivalent to an hour.

"I was just reading a book." He lied and Akashi remained unconvinced. Kuroko's books were gathering dusts on their shelves for a week now, idle and waiting to be read by its owner. And judging from the position of his room at the moment, anyone could tell that Kuroko was nowhere near the status of being orderly.

For the second time that day, Akashi gave him a look of utter disbelief; Kuroko felt that too and ignored it.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"What could I possibly hide?"

"I don't know." Akashi shrugged indifferently. "But I'm certain that it's important enough for you to sneak out of your room every night and sacrifice your sleep. Do you really think I wouldn't notice?"

Kuroko slowly folded the sleeves of his shirt, ready to leave for the bathroom.

"You're overthinking, Akashi. Why don't you trust me a bit?"

And with those soft-spoken words, Kuroko left the room with a slight guilt hovering over his heart. He knew it was an unsettled business— he knew Akashi would still ask, and it would be harder to lie.

* * *

Later that afternoon, rather than spending his time studying, Kuroko made an unexpected trip to the beach, dragging Kagami along with him despite of the short notice given to the latter.

"The manager's going to kill me for skipping work…" Kagami muttered under his breath, a frown graced his lips as his feet follow Kuroko's tracks.

"She's not going to kill you if you tell her that you're with me." Stepping to another steep rock on the shore, Kuroko absent-mindedly answered the boy's earlier complain. His eyes were focused on the old light house on the end of the shore, standing tall before the humongous waves that clashes against the equally big but sheer mountain of rocks.

"Don't be so cocky. Just because she fancies you a bit doesn't mean that she'll let me off easily." Was Kagami's immediate reply, balancing his body over several planks of woods that have drifted from the water to the coasts. "Where are we going anyway? It's unusual for you to visit the beach."

Kuroko remained silent. He was going to visit Kise; that is, if Kise really resides on the said light house, just like what he told him several nights ago. If Kagami can see him, then Kise _must _be really a human— and that would make him owe Kuroko another explanation as to how he changes his appearance despite the claim that he is just an earthly man. Although Kuroko said that it was none of his business, the burning desire of his mind to find out who the real Kise was had remained dominating.

"Oi if you don't answer me, I am going to go back." Kagami threatened but still took another step closer to Kuroko whose feet seemed to travel faster because of his thoughts. Taken a back, since Kagami would be an essential help to his objective, he merely sighed and answered.

"I am going to visit a friend, but we were not so close so I thought that by bringing you with me, you could liven up the atmosphere so it will be easier for us to talk." He reasoned out, on purposely making Kagami's presence sound so important— on which the said boy had taken a liking to. He never thought that the day wherein Kuroko would genuinely ask for his help and praise him would actually come.

Oblivious to Kuroko masked flattery, Kagami's smile grew wider and wider as they reach the front of the said light house. A rather rusty door welcomed them, chucks of paint scrapping off from the wall were very much visible too, and giving hint on how old the structure could be.

Dusting off the imaginary dirt on his pants and shoulder, Kuroko took steps forward and was just about to knock at the door when it suddenly opened. Kagami and Kuroko were hereby met by a rather flabbergasted Kise. Or so they guessed since it was so obvious that Kise just faked his surprise.

_Of course he is expecting us,_ Kuroko thought. _He knew we're here the moment we stepped our feet on the beach._

Kuroko didn't know where he got that conclusion but his guts were telling him that it was the right assumption to think.

"This is unexpected!" Kise turned to Kuroko with starry excited eyes. "You actually visited me instead of going to Aomine's place!"

Kagami arched a brow at the mention of Aomine's name and wondered what kind of relationship he has with Kuroko. The way Kise spoke about it, it was like this Aomine guy, whoever he is, was an important person to his friend. That was what unexpected is.

Kuroko frowned. Why didn't he considered the chance that Kise will talk about Aomine in front of Kagami, the guy obviously knew nothing about his current situation and Kuroko hadn't think about telling it to anyone, he even lied to Akashi just to hide it yet here was Kise, absent-mindedly revealing everything.

Kuroko faked a cough to stop Kise from blabbering further and it worked.

"This is Kagami," He softly said to him, Kagami immediately paid appropriate attention—smiling lightly at the taller boy. "And Kagami, this is—"

"Just someone that Kuroko knows!" Kise cut him off. Kise gave them a small bow although he was dead curious as to why Kuroko brought this guy with him.

"Uh… hi." Kagami greeted and smiled forcedly despite the weirdness in Kise's behavior, as if he wasn't curious as to why Kise lives on a freaking _light house_ that was supposed to be not functional and locked by the government already.

"Hello." Still inquisitive, Kise replied nonetheless. "It is nice to meet you_, Kuroko's friend_." But for some reason, he refused to call Kagami by his name— there was something about him that he didn't like and he was never a person to display hospitality to people he didn't even know anyway. Being rude to other people was something he wasn't bothered by.

Kagami twitched a brow, smile fading at the sudden discourtesy. "It's nice to meet you too, _Kuroko's other friend_." He emphasized his last words and gave him a tight hand squeeze for a handshake which, of course, caused pain on Kise's part. Both of them glared at each other afterwards.

_"Geez, what is his problem?"_ Kagami thought. Although offended, he had to hold back his rebellious side since he didn't want Kuroko to see it. He closed his eyes and calmed himself.

"Was it just me or the two you seemed to really _hate_ each other already?" Kuroko inquired, staring at them with seemingly troubled eyes. Actually he had already sensed the fierce atmosphere when Kise addressed Kagami as _"Kuroko's friend"_ earlier and as to why the boy had to act like that, he didn't have any idea.

"No." Kagami said almost instantly. "Of course not. It's just the manly way of greeting someone we've never met before." Was his lame excuse. "Right? _Kuroko's other friend_?" He turned to Kise with a fake smile.

In return, Kise had to roll his eyes at the absurdity but answered anyway "Yeah, if you say so."

Kuroko sighed but didn't pursue the topic any longer; it seemed like Kagami can see Kise which just proves that he was really a human. _Oh wait, it's too early to decide on that. Perhaps we should investigate a little more, _he thought.

"Well, are you going to come in?" Kise asked after a time of silence, sending Kuroko a look that requires immediate attention.

"Gladly." Kuroko then began walking and bowed as Kise led him inside

"But he has to stay outside." Kise suddenly said just as Kuroko was about to take off his shoes. Obviously, it was Kagami he was referring to.

"Why?" Kuroko asked.

Kise shook his head. "This place is_ not_ for him. He's not allowed to enter." He asked Kuroko to come closer and muttered to that to his ear, their shoulder slightly touching. "It's either that or just come back when he's not with you."

When there was no response, Kise patted Kuroko's shoulder.

"You're not hiding anything from me, are you?" Kuroko asked but before Kise could reply, Kagami's voice filled their ears.

"It's alright, Kuroko. It seemed like I am not welcomed in here anyway. I'll just…" he gaze drooped down. "…leave the two of you. See ya later, okay?" The sound of his shoes tapping against the cold pavement echoed and resounded with the waves; as he took the way back by carefully stepping on the mountain of rocks Kuroko and he have taken earlier, Kagami never looked back and it was only a matter of time when his figures grew smaller and smaller until they slipped into the shadows and were gone.

"You were _specifically_ rude at him." Kuroko noted after a moment, finally removing his shoes to enter Kise's house, was it even right to call it a _house_? With the sound of waves, and ocean breeze going in and out freely by the windows, the whole place felt like it was breathing.

The walls were painted yellow with no rooms, only a spiral stairs that goes up towards the top of the light house. There were also several sketches pasted on the one side of the room, lazily fixed against the wall with masking tapes—all colorless drawings of the sea, of the lighthouse and of the cave beside the latter but there was one drawing that Kuroko noticed to be hidden amongst the sea of papers, as if it was really meant to be concealed on purpose. He ignored it, thinking that he shouldn't nose around someone else's property.

They entire room looked dingy however the ground floor have basic furniture like a table, one wooden chair, an old sofa and a fairly decent bed with black sheets— no pillows by the way, just a futon. A small lamp was resting by one of the huge windows—right next to the bed. Yet what was surprisingly noticeable was that the entire room was actually filled with books, Kuroko haven't noticed it until his eyes landed on the floor—since there were no shelves or anything close to that, many piles of books were only lying on the wooden floor, tons and tons of them. His eyes glimmered with interest.

Kise's house was very quiet. It was hard to forget the sound of your own breath—going in, faltering out. Perhaps the kind of place that held no memories, a house that had no children, only full of nothing. The table had no mantel piece, no plates, no remnants of anything, no family too. Oh yes…

No family had lived in here.

"Your place is interesting." He told Kise, who's not at all conscious on how Kuroko perceives his room. "No kitchen?" Kuroko asked as his eyes traveled around.

"There was never a need for it."

"No bathroom either?" This time his tone was rather mocking.

"It's upstairs alright. And it's fully functional, just so you know although I usually take my baths somewhere else."

"Hmmm." Kuroko made a sound of acknowledgement as his hands found the metal railing of the stairs. "Can I go up?"

Something about this place had made him excited, he can smell the sea.

Kise nodded, seemingly exasperated. "Even if I say no, you'd still go anyway, Kurokochi."

Satisfied with his response, Kuroko grinned a bit, but said "Please don't call me _Kurokochi_" before taking the said stairs until he finally reached the top; panting as he tried to catch his breath—the stairs was unpredictably long, he realized. He was entirely happy though he supposed, completely forgetting about the thing about Kagami.

He loosely rested his arms by the rust covered railing, breathed deeply to take in the fresh air and salt water. And after that, he must have seen the sea—a strong sea under a hard white sky. His tresses danced as another soft breeze blew past his body and tickled the pores of his exposed skin.

Happiness for Kuroko was never something big. Right now, he was genuinely glad just by this.

As a set of slow footstep reached his ears—growing closer and closer, another presence had joined his little piece of pure bliss. The man beside him was taller by many centimeters, so Kuroko, even though he was older, felt unwantedly childish.

"Actually, this place is normal." Kise said as he tied his long bangs with a rubber band so that it wouldn't obscure his sight when the wind blew. Kuroko tilted his head at the statement.

"It's really alright for your friend to enter; I mean… this light house is never magical or dangerous unlike what I've made it sound earlier." He gave Kuroko a sheepish grin, but with his bangs tied up, the older boy couldn't help but laugh—Kise looked like a turnip.

However, Kise paid him no attention. "There's just something _off _about that friend of yours."

Hearing that, Kuroko stopped on his laugh. "He's _usually _normal." He said, pulling his jacket closer to himself.

Kise shook his head and shrugged, "I don't know. I just got that feeling. Anyway… why did you come in here?"

With a single glance, he threw Kuroko a serious face, lips pursed into a delicately thin line. The boy in question sighed.

"I was just making sure that you're really a human, so I brought my human friend with me to see if he can see you. It seems like you were telling the truth."

"That was rather rude. You actually… don't trust me?"

"Don't you know?"

"Alright. I lost." He made a quick halt, throwing his hands up as if to surrender. "Geez. I don't like how the youth today is opinionated and has a strong sense of justice."

"I'll be taking that as a compliment."

"I think you're curious about me, too." The taller boy said.

"You think? Or you knew?"

Kise smiled.

"Let me tell you about myself."

A swift breeze blew and played with the ends of Kise's blonde hair. He closed his eyes and let the air press itself against his skin. "I am not like Aomine but I am not a human anymore… so I kind of lied to you too." He grinned at Kuroko apologetically.

"I was a human once, I remember being one. I've already told you about Okami's man-eating habits, right?"

Kuroko nodded, listening intently.

"Well, I was one of her victims. Supposedly, I am dead by now… but I was brave enough to make a deal with her. She'd let me live if I give her half of my soul and half of my memories. Given the situation I was in, it was the best offer so I accepted the deal. Okami took my childhood, from the time I was born up until I was eleven—and that's why I am in this situation right now. Since that memory was erased, I can't remember who my parents were, and they wouldn't remember me either. It was as if I wasn't even born in the first place. No records, no birthdate… my life started during my twelfth year of existence, and that's all I have at the moment. She took half of my soul so I couldn't die either. I can't even remember how long I've been like this. I'm like a lost ghost or something… but Okami was kind enough to let me have my body. That's why you can see, talk and touch me like I am really here. Like I'm really a human."

Kuroko fell silent. Somehow, it all made sense. That was why Kise was so indifferent when they were talking about Okami—because he'd dealt with her already. He probably lacked response right now, but Kuroko couldn't find the proper way to react. Should he feel sorry for Kise? Should he trust him completely now? Kuroko remained silent.

"But putting that aside, _what else,_ Kuroko? Why did you come here for?"

The question seemed to strike Kuroko in many other ways. That didn't mind him so much. He liked to ask anyway, ask more about Aomine. Kise and he seemed pretty close after all.

He looked out at the wide, shifting sea, and just for a moment, he thought that he was missing something else, something so important—something that only Aomine knew about. It was just a hunch and he hoped that he was wrong. Did Okami have something to do with this too? He looked at his hands at the railings, and they were young. They were battered.

The sea had constantly reminded him of his late mother.

She drowned herself, didn't she?

How could a calm place like this possibly kill his mother?

"I just want to know more about Aomine." He finally said, shaking his earlier depressing thoughts. After all, he had decided to move on. But then again, even though everyone was telling him to forget about it, he didn't want to forget.

"I've known him since we were both little kids but I don't know everything about him. It was more like... I _can't _remember. Of what he looked like back then, of what was he really like aside from the snobbish exterior he has." There was a pause. "I just knew where and how we met but… other than that, there was nothing. I mean, how was that possible?"

"Forgetfulness is a form of freedom. Well, unlike me, you're a definite human. It has been ten years, how would you remember that?"

There was an odd comfort in Kise's words but if he agrees with that, it would mean that he was also giving up. If Aomine was really an important part of his childhood, how could forget all about it? Just because it has been ten years already? That kind of reasoning was too weak to rely on. It even sounded pathetic now that Kuroko had pondered about it deeper. He didn't want it to become his defense mechanism—to say that he forgot because it was merely a long time ago. If that's so, then he should've forgotten about his mother's death too.

"It was _**only**_ ten years, Kise. And besides I'm already ten during that time, it should have been impossible for me not to remember."

"Apparently, it is possible. Memories are fleeting, you know."

"But—"

"Thinking too much can only cause problems. I thought you want to talk about Aomine?"

"We are already talking about Aomine."

"No, we aren't. We're arguing about your theory of memories."

"Christ, why am I even talking to you?"

"Gee thanks. After all the hospitality I offered you…"

Kuroko grunted but did not feel guilty at all. It seemed like Kise could understand him but he was missing the big picture, he couldn't blame him though. Even Kuroko, himself could not understand what it was that he needs to remember. He was relentless, itching to know it. He just knew there was something… It never occurred to him until he met Aomine, for the past ten years, he didn't have any of these troubles.

And for that, he was very upset too.

* * *

Gah Kise's calm demeanor is killing me =))

Kagami's really obedient in here and Akashi? No, he's not! He's only kind when it comes to Kuroko and you know it.


End file.
